If you want to experience Denali National Park up close and personal, backpacking through this jewel is the way to go. The chance of coming face to face with a wild animal is pretty much 100% guaranteed. Currently you cannot drive through the park on your own, you must take one of the school-bus transportation options back and forth along Park Road – the main artery through the park. It is all fun and games when you see a grizzly from the safety of a bus, but when one is about a football field away and there is a 50 lb pack on your back in 40mph head winds – that is quite a different situation. It will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up and/or make you pee your pants. At least that was my experience.

Lexi, Todd, Greg and I originally planned 3 nights in the Denali wilderness but it was reduced to one night for 3 reasons: 1) The unit we were allocated did not provide views of Mt. McKinley, so we took a last minute detour to the Wonder Lake Campground (post coming soon) where this massive natural wonder is front and center; 2) One of Lexi and Todd’s tent poles broke. Fortunately they were prepared and had duct tape to keep it together but it made for a challenging tent situation; 3) The winds were howling like mad so our tents were making hideously strange noises during the night. We were ‘confident’ there was a grizzly (or 2) circling around our campsite which happened to be smack dab in the middle of a river bed. Pretty sure none of us slept a wink.

How did we end up bunking in a river bed, prime territory and stomping grounds for grizzlies and other creatures like wolves, moose and caribou (we saw the footprints in the dry mud)?? When we started our trek to our campsite, 5 miles away in Unit 31, we had the option to navigate along the slopes of the East Fork River Bar (EFRB) or increase our chances of a grizzly encounter and make our way directly through the EFRB. Because of the unsettling wild animal encounter videos we were required to watch, we decided the slopes might be the ‘safer’ route.

The slopes at the edge of the EFRB are vegetated with stands of spruce trees or tall willows. One thing to note, there are no marked trails in Denali so you have to bushwhack and find your own way via a topo map or GPS unit. We found out quickly that willows would become our worst enemy. They grow so tightly together, navigation can be tough and slow – it took us 4 hours to go 4 miles loaded with 40 to 50 lb packs strapped to our backs – for experienced backpackers, this was pathetically slow. By the time we got to the 4 mile mark, we were exhausted, cranky and desperate to set up camp at the first dry, flat spot we could find – in the EFRB.

After 24 hours of wild winds, broken tent poles, irrational visions of a highly unlikely animal attack, we decided one night was probably good enough for all of us. In order to avoid some approaching bad weather, we decided to take the path of least resistance back to Park Road directly through the EFRB. All went well until we emerged from the EFRB and were about .5 miles from hopping a bus to safety. The winds were about 35 to 40 miles/hour so we were forced to walk heads down to avoid falling backwards. After several minutes of fighting said evil headwinds, I hear Greg say, “Is that a bear?”. We all stopped DEAD in our tracks and looked up – sure enough there was a male grizzly about a football field away – his big hump bulging high on his back – in our minds, he looked like the size of a VW bug. He stopped for a few seconds, sniffed into the wind and began to head in our direction – I nearly piddled in my pants. The 4 of us huddled together must have looked like too much to handle (or maybe our legs were too skinny to be an enjoyable snack) as he eventually changed his plans and dropped down into the EFRB in search of a tasty morsel.

Although my description of the trip sounds a little crazy – it was one of the most exhilarating experiences on the Life Bus. I highly recommend this trip if you are an avid backpacker seeking an adventure in an iconic Alaskan wilderness. We learned to take the bear and leave-no-trace videos seriously – you never know when a wild animal will cross your path in Denali and it would be nice to keep it pristine for generations to come. One area we could have improved upon was to find a few extra minutes to relax – if you are conscientious and follow the rules, you will be in great shape to survive the journey!

All in all, this is a true, off-the-charts Life Bus experience words cannot fully describe!! The best place to start researching where to hunker down is via the Denali Backpacking Guide documented from the National Park Service. ENJOY!!

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I have 35 ish days to go before I make the 24+ hour journey to Nepal for a 2.5 week trek to the Everest Base Camp (~18,000) with REI Adventures. Sleeping in a tent for 15 days is going to be cold-as-hell and will test my mental toughness on a daily basis (I am confident there will be a few tears). I have a -20 degree sleeping bag, a fleece liner and a whole slew of hand, foot, and body warmers to keep me warm and toasty. I understand from the REI trip lead, there are 11 other crazy souls taking on this trek in the dead of winter. My hubby Greg is sitting this one out, so I will have a tent all to myself! I will miss my very own personal sherpa on this trip :-(.

For the first time in my history of planning a trek like this, there is a little bit of stress boiling up inside. Mostly because I feel pitifully out of shape. I have about 35 days to get it together. I don’t know about you, but feeling forced to work out is not my idea of fun. Running shoes will be glued to my body while working in Houston during the week and weekends in Colorado will be spent trudging up steep hiking trails to acclimate to higher altitudes – Rain, snow or shine. If it sounds like I am behind in my training, I am – hence the stress. A 2 week bout with the flu has not helped this situation.

Thankfully, I am a gear hound and with the exception of snow goggles, I have it covered. I will, however, continue to test different layering options as I complete my winter training in the Colorado mountains. For instance, this past weekend in Vail, CO, I was painfully reminded I need an additional layer of warmth on my legs just in case the wind decides to kick up to 20 – 25 MPH and create a white-out situation. I have not been that cold in a LONG time. My face was also in incredible pain from the exposure – it literally looked and felt like a cherry popsicle.

On a positive note – not only will I fulfill a bucket list item by having an up close and personal view of Mt. Everest, I will be flying the new United Airlines Dreamliner 787 from Tokyo to San Francisco – VERY excited about that. So much, that I plan on writing a separate blog post on the Dreamliner itself!

Wish me luck while I prepare for this once in a lifetime adventure! It will be amazing and one I look forward to sharing with you in the coming months!

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Have you ever wanted to experience the Himalayas without the fear of crime, funky food, crowds and pollution? Look no further than Bhutan (minus the funky food) right next door to India and Tibet in central Asia. Greg and I did the 8 day Chomolhari trek through this amazing mountain range with REI Adventures. Bhutan is a pretty cool place – however it can be an expensive destination. They do not have an appreciation for backpackers so don’t even think about it – they have no desire to mimic Nepal. The culture here is as thick as molasses – they are Buddhist through and through and have a strong desire to keep it that way.

We started our adventure on a crisp day in November. It was one of the most challenging treks we have ever done – the average hiking distance was about 10 miles per day. We hiked on rocky terrain and over steep mountain passes, there was nothing easy about it. When it was all said and done, we logged approximately 80 miles and crossed over 3 mountain passes, one reaching ~16,000 feet. All 7 of our nights were spent in a tent – in a cold, cold (did I say cold?) tent. Our guide swore a snow leopard passed through our campsite – only the shadow knows if that was a true statement – I think it could have been a Yeti. REI does a great job, but there isn’t much they can do when it is below 30 degrees at night and first thing in the morning. I learned my lesson and now have a -20 degree sleeping bag for trips like this.

A few things to note:

Do not be shocked if you happen to see a penis painted on every house you pass.

In order for you and the rest of your group to enjoy this trip, you must be in good physical condition. No one likes a whiner or someone who holds the rest of the group back.

Please make sure you bring the right gear and test it before you go on this trip.

REI has a packing list for a reason – pay attention and don’t think you know more than the masters of the outdoors.

If you wear new hiking boots for the first time on this trip – well, I don’t really know what to say.

Don’t over pack – those tents get small, REAL quick and if you have a roommate you don’t know (or can’t stand), it could be a heinous experience.

If you like meat – don’t expect a big juicy steak here. It is a Buddhist country after all and they get most of their meats from India (and you know how they feel about the bovine species).

Hydration is key – altitude sickness is not pleasant. I had a rager of a headache after one day of hiking and wanted to shoot myself.

Bring your meds – as usual, there is is always one person who contracts montezuma’s revenge and suffers horribly for several days.

No matter how tempting it is, do not attempt to share any beetle root with the guides, your teeth are sure to turn a nice cherry Kool-aid color.

Be flexible and kind to your fellow travelers – do not, under any circumstances, ask the group to sing the ever popular, “Puff the Magic Dragon” at the dinner table.

I think my pictures speak louder than my words for Bhutan – hope you enjoy. If you are interested in a challenging trip that will push your physical limits, I highly recommend it. REI is my travel company of choice – I have been on 4 trips with them and have loved every single one of them. I plan 98% of my trips, but when a guide is necessary, it’s REI all the way.

Jump on the Life Bus and visit Bhutan which is rich in culture, scenery and some of the most incredibly wonderful, kind, gentle people you will ever meet in your life.

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Climbing Half Dome (the Dome) has NEVER been on my bucket list – not even for a second. I have a ridiculous fear of going down hill and a fear of heights. Until I went to Yosemite National Park this summer, I didn’t know what Half Dome looked like or really what the hoopla surrounding it was all about.

How did we get to the top? I would say the whole thing was dumb luck and a little bit of insanity (on my part – Greg is the sane one). On what was supposed to be our last day in Yosemite Valley, Greg and I hiked up the John Muir Trail (JMT) to Nevada Falls. If you can find the strength, go about a half mile beyond the falls, there is clearing on the left where you can catch a glimpse of the Dome.

Just as we were about to head back down to the Valley and leave the park, a group of 4 burly, tattooed guys came to enjoy the scenery. One of them had binoculars and was chatting away about how he wanted to climb the Dome but was always afraid to do it. He handed the nocks over to me and low and behold, I was instantly inspired to make it to the top (not sure why, I was stone-cold sober and there was no betting involved). I could see people grasping on to cables, slowly inching to the top.

The most famous part of this hike is the cables that cover the last 700 feet of the climb to the top. The cables are about 30 inches or so apart – wide enough for a death grip with both hands and just wide enough so 2 people can inch past each other coming and going. Wooden boards have been strategically placed about every 10 to 15 feet so you can stop and rest if needed. The incline on this stretch of the climb is anywhere between 45 and 60 degrees. It is so steep in some areas, you literally have to pull yourself up to get to the next wooden board.

Insanity ensued and we immediately hiked down the Mist Trail, (a must do if you have the fitness to climb/descend stairs) determined to find a way to secure a permit. As soon as humanly possible, we went to the National Park Service website http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/halfdome.htm to do more research on the climb and the permit process. We heard from various climbers, you could get one through a lottery process 2 days prior to the day you want to climb. What we found was this: The website sucked (maybe we are just incompetent) and finding a way to apply for a permit on line was a ridiculous waste of time. After a very long day of hiking, discouraging discussions with Park Rangers, and the website debacle, we had given up on our 3 hour dream to climb the Dome.

As we are literally driving out of the park at around 11 am the next day, we stopped by the Ranger Station to inquire about climbing permits for a future visit. Coincidentally, at 11 am, they start issuing backpacking permits for the following day. Before I knew it, the heavens opened up and we were issued a backpacking permit for the Little Yosemite Campground. Then I heard the most precious words. The Park Ranger said, “And by the way, if you want a permit to climb Half Dome, it will be an extra 5 bucks.” We quickly jumped on the offer, spent one more night in the Valley, packed up our crap and hiked back up the JMT to the base camp campground the next day.

Key Tip: Apparently, if you can get a backpacking permit, you are automatically allowed to climb too assuming the allocated number of permits for backpackers has not been reached. In addition, Park Rangers are stationed at the base of the sub-dome trail head and track the number of climbers in a day – they have a list of people who have been issued permits. Bring your ID with you, they will ask. If for some reason someone has backed out of the climb, you may be able to take their spot. This is risky but something you could try at the spur of the moment if you were so inclined.

The thing about this hike (outside of the fact that it will jack with your mind when you see how steep the final ascent is), is that there are many inexperienced, unfit people out there making the pilgrimage to the top of the Dome and many of them start from the Valley. Starting from the Valley is a very ambitious plan – if you decide to do it this way, please don’t wear converse tennis shoes, flip flops, cotton shirts, or carry a little 16 ounce water bottle for the very difficult 17 mile journey. You will create a safety hazard for you and those around you. I would also avoid climbing in the rain with lightening present.

Key Tip: Bring A LOT of water with you, gloves with fingers else your knuckles may get shredded, wear the ‘stickiest’ shoes possible as the rock is very slick with overuse, and read the National Park Service website I noted above before you attempt this hike. I would also recommend getting a campsite at Little Yosemite Valley so you can break up the hike – if you are in your 20’s, it probably doesn’t matter. If you get a campsite, start early, this will give you the luxury of having the cables all to yourself. It starts to get crowded about 11:00 am when all of the ‘Valley’ hikers have made it to the cables. Also descend backwards. Some people recommended going down sideways – they must have been on crack – can’t imagine how that would be a good idea. To each his own.

After we accomplished our dream of reaching the top of Half Dome and descending without incident, I realized that I can eventually overcome my fear of going down hill and if I go slow enough without panicking and remaining focused, I can pretty much do anything I set my mind to. It’s part of the life bus philosophy – jump on the bus and enjoy!